The latest rendering of the new Boyle municipal centre and seniors housing complex had visitors buzzing with anticipation at an open house Apr. 8.
The latest rendering of the new Boyle municipal centre and seniors housing complex had visitors buzzing with anticipation at an open house Apr. 8.
About 20 seniors dropped by the Boyle Community Centre to check out the plans and designs of both facilities.
The Wildrose Villa seniors housing expansion will have 36 rooms, including four rooms with double beds to accommodate couples, since couples are often separated in seniors housing because of a lack of space or having moved into the facility at different times.
The existing unit will be renovated into a 22 bed assisted-living facility featuring a wing for dementia patients that are in any stage of the disease.
The two units will be attached and current residents will move into new building following its completion, with the old building then being repurposed.
Across the street will be the new municipal centre housing the village office, seniors drop-in centre and public library.
The design for the new 3,000 square foot library was a big draw at the open house - especially for the Boyle Public Library Board members who are eager to move out of their cramped 1,500-square-foot basement space in the current community centre.
“It's almost at a point where you buy a book, you have to get rid of a book. It gets so crowded. It can't happen fast enough, ” said Gail Sether.
Library manager Kathy Bulmer can't wait to experience some natural sunlight.
“We've been in the basement for 38 years, ” she cried.
“It's awesome, we'll finally be ground level. We'll finally have some windows, maybe more seniors will be able to come. ”
Arlene Walker, also on the library board, heartily agreed.
Walker had just returned from a vacation and was surprised to see the progress since her absence.
“Everything's changed and I'm really very pleased with what I see, ” she said.
“The whole configuration of the library has changed. When we first started out, it was a long narrow … like a bowling alley, and now it's much nicer. It's come a long way. ”
The improved layout will also contain a designated archive room next to the library entrance, which thrilled Alice Wlos from the Boyle Historical Book Society and a library board member.
“We can put all the things from my basement that I've been collecting for the archives, ” she said with a laugh.
“There are history books and we have 2,000 photos that we have to put somewhere. It'll be nice for storage and information for other people in the district. ”
Despite all the anticipation, there was still a grain of disbelief that the projects were actually moving forward since their inception seven years ago.
“The dream keeps getting bumped back by delay, by delay, by delay, ” said Sether, who was a bit more cautious in her expectations.
Presently, the village is considering the proposed tenders for the project, with a decision expected during the next council meeting this Wednesday.
That would translate into shovels turning over the ground this June, while it is anticipated ground will be broken on the Wildrose Villa expansion next month.
Mayor Bob Clark is optimistic that work on the municipal centre will finish by next February and all of the construction and renovations for Wildrose Villa will be completed by the summer of 2017.
